


First Date for the Fourth Time

by arcana_amicus



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Fluff, No beta we die like Pyrrha, Short One Shot, for the crown at least probably, mildly ooc?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 22:48:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29724420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arcana_amicus/pseuds/arcana_amicus
Summary: What happens when a Relic gets used while the world isn't in danger?
Relationships: Penny Polendina/Ruby Rose
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	First Date for the Fourth Time

Used by so many of Oz's lives, and the occasional interloper. Was it a gift? Was it a curse? To far too many, it brought paralyzing indecision to those who wore it as a last resort, stuck between bad and worse options.

But today was different. For the first time, the Crown, given responsibility to present choices to the one who bore it ... found itself with only good options to show.

"I know somewhere we can talk without being interrupted again." said Penny, leading Ruby through an empty corridor. "If I've studied the plans for this building right, there's an inconsistency. Nothing else runs through it, so it should be a safe room to be in."

"Whoa. I've never seen this part of Beacon before!" Ruby marvelled at the open space deep under Beacon's tower, as they stepped on a maintenance catwalk. 

"Right ... there." Penny pointed at a seemingly random section of the metal wall panels, several feet away over a dark void of whatever service tunnel they were walking over. "Hang on tight!" 

"Penny, wh-" Ruby barely had time to finish as Penny unfurled Floating Array and picked up Ruby, swinging around the rails, through the wall, and dropping into a ... brightly lit room?

In the center, a strangely glowing crown. Ruby takes a moment to recover her breath as she tentatively picks it up. "I wonder what this is?"

Penny blinks, slows, and freezes mid-step.

* * *

The elevator door opens. A familiar face greets her, but with a less familiar dress, tinged in blue.

"Ruby! What did you have in mind today?"

"Hey Penny! There's a nice cafe down the street. There's this one chocolate cake on the menu that I've wanted to try for a while, but it's a bit too big and we could ... umm ... share it?"

"Of course!" Penny steps right, syncing her pace to Ruby's.

Half a block and a little banter later, Ruby pauses. "Wait. I really should've asked this earlier, but ... Penny, can you ... eat?"

Penny opens her mouth, about to speak, and-

* * *

The elevator door opens. A familiar face greets her, with a soft blue dress.

"Ruby! What did you have in mind today?"

"Hey Penny! There's a bookstore nearby. I haven't had time since coming here to visit."

"Sensational! What are your favorite stories?" Penny asks, as she lets Ruby lead her down the narrow streets.

"Well. There's the _Boy with the Long Nose_. I finally got to read the oldest version of _The Ice Fairy_ last week."

"That's nice. I was asked to review the new Paladin manual last night."

Ruby turns the corner and sees the distinct T. "What about you? Your favorite stories?"

"Well, when I was younger, I-"

* * *

The elevator door opens. A familiar face greets her, a blue dress and a matching bow that she hadn't noticed before.

"Ruby! What did you have in mind today?"

"Hey Penny! I'm taking you up on that offer. The closest training rooms are just that way."

It's not long before Ruby takes up the Floating Array backpack, as Penny awkwardly holds Crescent Rose. They're both experienced combatants, but using either in melee is a delicate art form of balance. 

This is even more so as they ready to playfully try their weapons on each other. They stand at opposite ends of the room, Ruby with Floating Array arranged as wings with her arms swept back, and Penny with a foot on the blunt part of Crescent's blade, primed to launch.

In a flash of green and red, they both quickly realise how much it takes to normally wield these weapons, winding up in a tangled mess of metal on the floor, loosely held together with their weapons. They start laughing at the situation.

Recovering slightly from the hit, Ruby's first to realise how close they are, but Penny makes the first move sliding a little closer to her.

"May I?" Penny asks.

Ruby leans in closer in response.

_Wait._

_This is one question I don't want answered here._

* * *

Penny's steps seem to quicken as the flow of time returns, and she steps up to the pedestal. "What is it?"

"I, uh ... give it a try?" Ruby offers weakly in response, still recovering from the Relic's revelations.

The Crown snaps comfortably to Penny's head. A moment later, Penny opens her eyes, as the Crown falls back into her hands. Hesitantly, she places it back down on the pedestal.

She looks to Ruby, and the hopeful glimmer in her silver eyes tells her all she needs to know.

Penny steps up and takes Ruby's hand. She squeezes back, and leans in.

**Author's Note:**

> Was gonna do more scenarios, but I wanted this out before V8 E10 and it's been a busy week at work ;-;
> 
> as usual I'm more likely to answer pressing questions at my tumblr (arcana-amicus)
> 
> ~~the last use of Choice was to hide it against danger. Outside a vault, it's hidden against Cinder but the dolts aren't a threat to it /j~~


End file.
